1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a system for warming the body of a human. More particularly, this invention pertains to passive warming and active warming before, during, and after surgery or other medical procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inflatable thermal blankets that are used to communicate a conditioned gas, such as heated or cooled air, to a patient are known in the art. Such thermal blankets typically have an inflatable portion provided with an inlet port for placing the inflatable portion in fluid communication with a source of pressurized, conditioned gas such that the inflatable portion can be selectively inflated. The inflatable portion generally has an inner surface that is positioned next to the patient. The inner surface is gas permeable or is otherwise adapted to communicate the conditioned gas used to inflate the blanket to the user. The warm air used to inflate the inflatable portion is communicated through the inner surface of the inflatable portion so as to bath the body portion covered by the blanket in warm air.
Warming devices for perioperative use are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,076, issued on Oct. 2, 2007, to Bieberich and titled “Perioperative warming device,” discloses a warming device for perioperative use. The warming device includes a gown and convective apparatus on the inside of the gown. Each convective apparatus has a pair of outer sheets separated by an air-impermeable layer. The air-impermeable layer is a barrier separating the sections. Air inlets are provided for each section.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,584, issued on Apr. 29, 2008, to Anderson and titled “Warming device,” discloses warming device that is a garment with a convective apparatus with interleaved, separately inflatable sections inside the garment. The convective apparatus has two sections that are each separately inflatable. One section is comb-shaped and provides therapeutic warming to the patient. The other section interleaves with the first section and provides comfort warming to the patient.